Innocence
by ClementineTWDG
Summary: During those nine days of travel to Wellington, a snow day occured. Harmless, right? But even in a apocalypse, Clementine couldnt help but show her playful side... Oneshot


Clementines eyes fluttered when she felt something cold and wet land on her nose. She crinkled her nose and opened her eyes wide. The sky was full of gray clouds in all directions as far as the eye could see. She sat up, rubbing her eyes.

Kenny was sitting on a nearby log, holding AJ. He too was staring up at the sky. He noticed Clementine move out of the corner of his eye and he looked down at her. She rubbed her arms and smiled up at him.

"Hey darlin'. Sleep well?" He asked her sweetly. She nodded and stood, wrapping her arms around herself and looking at the sky. She felt something trying to push its way up inside of her. A playful feeling. But she couldnt identify it. She couldnt think of anything fun to do. Why was she feeling so... Young?

The ground around them was coated with snow. A fresh blanket of the soft, sticky white powder. Due to the protective position she lay under the tree, she hadnt gotten covered. Clementine didnt know if Kenny even slept that night.

"Been awhile since I seen it snow like this, Clem. At least not this... Pretty" Kenny piped up, tickling little AJ's nose. He looked up at her again through his eyepatch. "Never snowed in Florida that often. Never seen it snow, at least."

Clementine sighed in agreement. She stared longily out at the snow.

Kenny shifted himself in to a more comfortable position. He noticed the way she was staring at the landscape. He grinned.

"Did you ever play in the snow? Before all this?" He asked. Clementine nodded and kicked at the snow. Sending a small spray of it in another direction.

"in didnt snow much in Atlanta." Clementine answered, smiling at the memories. "But when it did, i was all over it with my friends. I loved sledding the most, and building snowmen."

Kenny started nonchalently gathering snow with his feet next to the log. Everytime she looked, he stopped. Pretending that he was caring for little AJ. Unbeknownst to her, AJ had been asleep for hours. But Kenny had a bigger plan.

"I miss those days." She said. "Do you think we can ever have them back?"

Kenny paused. He wasnt sure. How did he answer a question like that?

Clementine looked up at the sky.

...

 _'Do you think things will ever go back to how they were?'_

 _'Yeah. Im not sure when, but someday.'_

 _'good. I hope its soon.'_

...

Clementine shut her eyes and lowered her head. She had to stop with this nonsense.

"Clementine, i know something that can cheer you up a bit."

Clementine didnt open her eyes.

"Come here." Kenny persisted.

Clementine sighed and turned her head slowly. She kept her eyes trained at the ground, and lifted them when she finally facing him. His expression was secretive and mysterious, with a mischevious glint obvious. Even through his eyepatch. Clementine felt wary

"Ken-"

PFFT!

A white mass struck Clementine in the face, cutting her off. It was cold and wet, and it fell in her coat. Soaking into her shirt. It nearly knocked her hat off, and she stepped backwards in surprise. She pawed at it for a moment, before realizing it was snow.

She reached her hands up and wiped the icy substance from her eyes. She flicked it on the ground and opened her mouth to speak. But she started to feel the chill of the snow in her shirt as more snow melted. She literally couldnt help but squeal as the water ran down her shirt and chilled her skin.

"Eep!" Was the noise that came out as she jumped back, clawing at her coat, trying to get it out. She tripped and landed on her rear, which in turn made Kenny start laughing.

"Kenny!" She whined, spitting out snow. "What was that for?!"

Kenny was cracking up, holding a now wide awake and rather grumpy AJ in his arms as he shook in laughter. Clementine couldnt help but feel her face get red in embarresment, and felt herself make a pouty expression. She crossed her arms defensively.

"i dont see whats so funny." She mumbled. But Kenny wouldnt stop laughing. Clementine tried to stay serious, but she felt the edges of her mouth struggling to stay down, and slowly started turning up. Soon, she was laughing as well. It was a wonderful feeling to laugh again. She loved it.

Kenny was shocked she hadnt tried to kill him yet, and even more shocked to hear her laugh. He had never heard her laugh before. Even when she was only eight years old, when he first met her. Her laugh was so... Inoccent to hear. It reminded you that she was still only a kid. An eleven year old that lost nearly three years of her childhood. Something she can never get back. But it was sweet to hear. Childrens laughter.

Clementine gathered snow in her palm while he was distracted. Patting it together, she held it in her right palm. Even though she felt the cold ice nipping at her unprotected skin, she smirked and climbed to her feet.

"think fast!" She exclaimed, throwing two snowballs at Kenny. One barely missed, whizzing past his ear. He heard the wind it made. But the second hit his forehead so hard it knocked his hat off. Kenny fell off the small log after losing his balance. AJ wasnt injured, in fact, he himself was giggling in amusement.

Kenny kept laughing as he pulled himself off the ground. Snow covered his face and he wiped it away. He brushed littl AJ off as well.

Clementne ran over to help him, grabbing his hat. Unbeknownst to him, she slipped a handfull of snow into the hat before offering to put it on his head for him. When he accepted, she shoved it on, and the cold snow immediatly began to melt into his head and hair.

"Aw, Clementine!" He complained, removing the hat. Clementine was now coughing in her laughter as she watched him brush the snow out of his hair. When he was done, He emptied the remaining snow from his hat.

Clementine backed up against a tree, when she felt something grab her leg. Crying out in surprise, she fell forward on to her face. When she whipped her head around she saw that a walker had gotten caught under a tree, but its front half was still poking out. It had her ankle in a death grip, and her skin was dangerously close to its gnashing, bloody teeth.

"Kenny!" She called out in panic. Her gun lay uselessly next to a tree a couple feet away. Impossible to reach. Instead, she attempted to kick the walker, but she missed Every time. When her foot DID make contact, it did hardly any damage. useleslly ricocheting somewhere else.

She clawed at the icy ground below her, trying to pull away, but to no avail. It was much to slippery. The walker had her ankle right in front of its mouth when...

 **BAM!**

The walker head fell limp on to the snow. Blood pulsing from the new bullet wound in its temple. The blood stained the surrounding snow and ice crimson. The pool leaked slowly until it reached Clementines foot.

She shuddered, kicking until she dislodged the hand from her ankle. She was breathing hard, her shoulders heaving with each inhale. She kept backing up until she hit the log. Kenny raced over to her side, tossing the steaming gun into the snow. AJ was now crying.

"Jesus, Clementine!" Kenny exclaimed, inspecting her. Her ankle was sore, and you could see the handprint left by the walker. Man, was it holding on to her hard!

"Are you okay? That was my fault, im so sorry, Darlin'" kenny asked, patting her back. He helped her to her feet. She was still shaking.

"I-im fine, Kenny." She breathed. She turned to look at him from underneath the brim of her signiture hat.

"Thank you, Kenny." She exhaled greatfully. Hugging him.

Kenny wrapped his only unoccupied arm around Clementines small body. Returning the affection. She shut her eyes for a moment before pulling away.

"'Thank you?' Darlin, that was nothin'. I would never let anything happen to you. I promise." Kenny assured her, patting her shoulder.

He gave her a bit to recover. She leaned on him, contemplating how lucky she was. How lucky she IS. It could run out, but she seriously enjoying it while it lasted.

Eventually, Clementine smiled at him, glancing around.

"i guess its time to head out." She observed shakely, brushing herself off. Kenny nodded and put his hand on her back as they started to walk away.

"you know, Clem, that was a two and one round." Kenny said nonchalently. Clementine began to turn to look at him, curious. But before she did, he grabbed the back of her coat and stuffed a large handful of snow into her coat. After she began feeling the chill of the snow, he take of running. Laughing and holding little AJ close to his body.

" _Kenny!"_


End file.
